(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the transmission of fiber-optic signals and is directed more particularly to a method for making a fiber-optic bundle collimator assembly.
(2) Description of Prior Art
A variety of fiber-optic applications requires that the output from a first bundle of fibers be converted into collimated beams which usually are coupled into a second bundle of fibers. Such coupling is typically referred to as "expanded beam coupling", and requires alignment of pairs of beams in a high precision manner. It has been customary in coupling of multiple fibers, to align each pair of opposing optical fibers individually, requiring complex and time-consuming operations. There is thus a need for a fiber-optic collimator assembly which includes a multiplicity of fibers precisely co-parallel, such that alignment of two opposing fibers simultaneously aligns each of the precision fibers in two such assemblies.